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The Iwa ninjas stood poised, weapons clenched tightly in their hands—swords, kunai, anything sharp enough to cut down their target. Their movements were precise, disciplined. This was no ordinary squad. Their coordination, their readiness—everything about them screamed elite.
They were prepared to strike the very moment Inoiki touched the ground.
But he never did.
Instead, as he descended, he stopped just a foot above the surface, hovering effortlessly in the air. His sharp gaze flickered downward—he knew better than to step carelessly onto enemy terrain. There could be traps.
The Iwa ninjas didn't hesitate.
With a battle cry, they lunged all at once, blades flashing in the moonlight, attacking from every angle. Steel sliced through the air, kunai arcing toward him in a coordinated assault. From their perspective, everything was going as planned—Inoiki was trapped.
Then—
Kurotsuchi and the Jonin felt it before they saw it.
A sharp disturbance, a shift in the air above them. Their instincts screamed danger.
Their eyes snapped upward.
Multiple projectiles were hurtling down toward them—fast.
Both leaders shouted at the same time, their voices cutting through the chaos—
"Incoming from the sky!"
But it was already too late.
From above, razor-sharp swords of ice rained down like death itself, piercing through the Iwa formation with merciless precision. Ten Chunin were killed instantly, their bodies impaled before they could even react. The remaining ninjas cried out in pain as the frozen blades struck, wounding many to varying degrees.
Only four managed to escape unscathed—Kurotsuchi, the Jonin, and the two Special Jonin. Thanks to their sharp instincts and the last-second warning, they dodged or deflected the deadly barrage just in time.
Kurotsuchi's eyes darkened. Her fists clenched. "Damn it."
Beside her, the Jonin ground his teeth in frustration, his knuckles white from gripping his weapon too tightly. They had underestimated him. Again.
The surviving Iwa ninjas stood frozen for a moment, their faces contorted with a mix of rage and helplessness. In the span of mere seconds, ten of their comrades were gone—pinned to the ground like paper stuck to a board, lifeless.
And there had been no warning.
This wasn't just an enemy.
This was a nightmare in human form.
Seething with anger, Kurotsuchi sprang into action. Forming quick hand seals, she took a deep breath and unleashed her attack—
"Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique!"
A massive surge of scorching quicklime erupted from her mouth, surging toward Inoiki in a deadly wave.
The moment her attack was released, the surrounding Iwa ninjas immediately retreated. They knew what would come next—once combined with water release, the quicklime would harden like concrete, trapping anything caught within it. None of them wanted to be in its path when that happened.
Inoiki, too, wasn't about to take the risk. Without hesitation, he floated backward, smoothly dodging the incoming quicklime.
But just as he evaded the attack, the Jonin was waiting for him.
Anticipating Inoiki's retreat, the Jonin lunged, kunai in hand, aiming straight for his target. But the moment the blade was about to strike—
It stopped. Mid-air.
The Jonin's eyes widened in shock. No matter how much force he applied, the kunai wouldn't budge. It was as if he were pushing against an immovable object.
"Damn it..." he muttered under his breath. He knew exactly what was happening.
Only one person could do this. Inoiki.
With his 'Psychokinesis,' he had frozen the weapon in place—without even touching it.
Realizing he had no choice, the Jonin released the kunai and jumped back, putting distance between himself and Inoiki.
With no further obstacles in his way, Inoiki smoothly dodged the quicklime attack, untouched.
The quicklime splattered onto the ground, hissing as it settled—but Inoiki was never caught in it. The attack had failed.
Yet, even as he retreated, Inoiki wasn't idle.
Focusing his mind, he reached out with 'Psychokinesis,' manipulating the very elements around him. Five fireballs ignited into existence, hovering menacingly in the air. Without hesitation, they shot forward, streaking toward the remaining Iwa ninjas—excluding the Jonins and Special Jonins.
The fireballs moved at incredible speed—faster than sound.
Four of the Iwa ninjas never stood a chance. Their injuries, the sheer velocity, and the suddenness of the attack left them defenseless. In an instant, they were engulfed in flames, their screams swallowed by the roar of fire. Each of them collapsed, a gaping, seared dent in their chest or abdomen—fatal wounds.
The fifth fireball tore toward another ninja, but this one reacted just in time. He twisted away, barely avoiding the blazing projectile. His superior reflexes, coupled with his relatively minor injuries, had saved him. This wasn't an ordinary Chunin—he was stronger than most.
Kurotsuchi, watching her forces fall one after another, gritted her teeth in fury.
"Enough."
With a growl, she surged forward, her chakra flaring. "Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique!"
A layer of solid rock encased her arm, reshaping her small fist into a massive stone hammer—twice the size of her own face.
She lunged at Inoiki, her stone-enforced fist hurtling toward him with devastating force.
But Inoiki was ready.
With a mere flick of his wrist, he conjured a 'Psychokinetic Barrier.' Kurotsuchi's rock-clad hand slammed into the invisible force field—only to halt abruptly, unable to move forward.
Before she could recover, Inoiki shifted tactics. Channeling his 'Psychokinesis' into his right arm, he struck.
His fist connected directly with Kurotsuchi's stone-encased hand.
A deafening crack echoed across the battlefield—the rock shattered.
The force of the blow sent Kurotsuchi staggering back, forced more than ten steps away. She barely managed to steady herself, her breath coming in sharp gasps.
But before she could react—
Four gleaming ice swords materialized out of thin air, hovering around her neck.
Each blade shimmered with deadly precision, their tips pressing dangerously close to her throat.
Inoiki stood before her, calm, unshaken.
"Checkmate."
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(A/N: If you like the story please vote power stones.)